Program Notes

The piece’s title is quoted in reference to an illustration by Guy Debord that maps, in his
words, the “atmospheric unities of a city.” A city map is cut into pieces (regions) experienced as
having distinct unities. The “mental- ly experienced” distance between these areas is visualized by
spreading out the pieces of the map, with directional arrows drawn between that illus- trate the
most active circulations of foot traffic. All other space between is left out so as to isolate only
these features. With remarkable economy, the image portrays a web of social conditions that figure
into the identities of most cities. Though providing less of a strict influence, this image and its
related ideas worked strongly as a backdrop through which the piece devel- oped.